There are a number of patents for scales including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,034,818; 4,041,289; 4,195,348; 4,495,581; 4,800,973; 6,177,929; 6,295,198; and 6,381,484. Additionally, patents and patent application publications covering digital animation on a display screen include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,657,643; 6,629,844; 6,498,948; 6,404,441; 6,317,885; 6,064,387; 5,261,041; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No US 2002/0109736.
Typically, with an electronic scale, an object is positioned on a weighing platform, where the weight of the object causes the weighing platform to move downward. The downward force causes the weighing platform to exert a force or pressure on a transducer. The transducer converts the downward force into an analog signal in terms of a voltage or a current having a magnitude, which varies according to the weight of the object.
This analog signal cannot be easily converted for digital display purposes without the use of an analog to digital converter (A/D converter). Essentially, the prior art shows many techniques for performing analog to digital conversion. Primarily, the object of such devices is to respond to an analog signal to provide therefrom a digital code or a digital signal, which can be processed by conventional digital circuitry to eventually activate a digital display, such that, the weight of the object is displayed on the display screen.
Furthermore, digital animation on a display screen, such as a computer monitor, has been used to educate, entertain, and amuse the user. The scope of the prior art does not include the use of digital animation strictly for the purpose of entertaining or amusing the users of everyday devices, such as handheld scales.